Friday, November 20, 2009

Some Respite...After a Storm

Finally we were able to purchase some land 60 kms from Hyderabad. It is a joyous and a scary moment. Joy for going one step further and a lot of fear in terms of how are we going to manage the construction of such a large place...over 600 children...staff...school...hospice...and a secure place. Early on in my life, I was very clear that my conviction and beliefs are going to be the guiding principle for all that I do and facilitate. There have been times when I had to pause for a while contemplating whether it is such a good idea to stick on to your convictions. These were times when I refused financial support from a donor realizing the contradictory beliefs the donor had regarding commercial sexual exploitation or when I decided not to accept financial support from the government in order to maintain the organizational autonomy in advocacy. In all such times I was branded arrogant...headstrong and off course anti establishment.In some forums I am told there is a uncomfortable silence when my name is taken. I wondered in all those times am I rigid? am i insecure? am i incorrigible? Something...somewhere in my soul supported my stand...gave it the strength it deserved to sustain. Today I have no regrets... As today I am convinced that to ensure financial support for the organization I need not sell my soul...become project based rather than need based...design strategies/programs where funding is ensured...parrot thoughts and ideas that I do not personally believe in...funding will find its way also through genuine conviction and commitment to make a difference in the lives of people I serve.Buying the land through the timely support of Mr M H Dalmiya is one such testimony of truth prevailing against all odds recognizing commitment for the cause.Hope continues...in all adversities

6 comments:

Yay for you incredible woman! Personally I consider convictions to be the most powerfilled foundations a human can have. You SO know what you are doing, you can feel it in all that you share about how you work. You are outside of their power, which is why your are so very scary, we know though that you can not fix a situation from the same thinking that created it.

I will keep in touch, listening and supporting when I can. I hope to be able to serve your intention, your vision. Please, use the blog to get it out of you, share with me, with us what you expereince, let us know what you face, day in day out, for there lay the reality of it, and the true purpose of the blog... to release, and to realise that others do care.

Well, you should be considering yourself as headstrong or rigid if your aim is to earn money, to go with the flow and think of the objectives afterwards. That flow that allows women to be commercialy presented as objects, that flow that doesn´t mind at all if the children in the sweatshop have been sold by their parents...You would be nodding to their ways, to their beliefs by accepting their money.You are consequent and brave. That is a too painful remembrance of the corruption and lack of ethics of others. You are unconfortable in some circles because you cannot be bought. And the ones who sold their sould won´t tolerate having you by their side, shining with a light that busts their darkness.

Hi Sunitha, I recently got to know about your efforts against human trafficking. I work for Microsoft and we have a scheme here every donation we make is matched by the company. We also have a "giving camp" evey year where most of the employees make some donations to NGOs of their choice and liking and the same is matched by the company. Are you listed there? If not, I can try and find out what needs to be done for that. Would you be interested?